Jointer blade grinder

ABSTRACT

A grinding tool specifically adapted for utilization in sharpening jointer blades and the like comprising an elongated shaft rotatably mounted within a housing. One end of the shaft is adapted to mount a grinding wheel, the second end of the shaft is adapted to engage with a source of power for a rotational driving of the shaft. The housing slides vertically on upstanding posts which extend between upper and lower plates. An enlarged housing engaged threaded shaft is utilized to effect a vertical adjustment of the grinding wheel.

PAIENIEUJHNI 2 m saw 162 Howard J. Smim [XI 'ENTOA.

PATENTED W975 3.738.067

.SHEH 2 0f 2 Fig. 3

Fig.5

Howard J. Smith WWW JOINTER BLADE GRINDER The present invention generally relates to jointers, planets, and the like, and is more particularly concemed with the provision of a unique tool capable of being positioned directly on the machine for a sharpening of the blades thereof without removal from the machine.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a grinding tool which is uniquely adapted to effect a shappening of jointer blades or the like directly on the jointer.

In conjunction with the above object, additional significant objects reside in the provision of a grinding tool which is easy to manipulate, is, while unique, of a functionally simple construction, is adapted for utilization with conventional power sources such as a hand drill, is fully adjustable so as to properly engage and completely sharpen the blades, and is particularly adapted to sharpen the blades in a manner whereby a hollow ground edge is produced.

Basically, the objects are achieved by the provision of a tool which includes an elongated housing vertically adjustable on a plurality of rods extending between upper'and lower plates. The housing mounts an elongated shaft, one end of which has a vertically orientated grinding wheel secured thereto and the second end of which is adapted to be engaged with the chuck of a hand drill or the like. Vertical adjustment of the housing, and hence the grinding wheel, is effected through a top plate mounted vertical adjusting shaft which is rotatably manipulated as required to raise or lower the grinding stone. The flat base of the tool will be accommodated in a blade surrounding guide or jig for a selective longitudinal sliding of the tool over the blade being worked on.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the grinding tool of the instant invention mounted in operative position within an appropriate guide supported on a jointer or planer;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the mounted tool;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional detail through one of the housing mounting posts or rods; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view through a modified form of tool.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the grinding or sharpening tool comprising the instantinvention. The tool 10 includes a flat lower or base plate 12, a similar upper plate 14 positioned in parallel.

spaced relation above the base plate 12 and interconnect ed thereto by four vertical posts or rods 16. With reference to FIG. 4, it will be noted that each of the rods 16 has diametrically reduced threaded end portions, the lower end portion 18 being threaded within a tapped hole in the base plate 12 while the upper end portion 20 is freely received through a hole in the upper plate 14 and receives a capped nut 22 on the upper end thereof. As will be appreciated, the capped nut 22 clamps the upper plate 14 to the rod 16, and more particularly against the upper rod shoulder 24 defined by the reduced diameter threaded upper portion 20.

An elongated housing 26 is positioned between the upper and lower plates 14 and 12 and consists of an elongated cylindrical center portion 28 and a pair of laterally projecting arms 30 at each end thereof. Each of the arms 30 includes a vertical bore therethrough aligned with an appropriate bushing 32, one of the posts 16 being received through each of the bushings 32 whereby a vertical sliding of the housing 26 between the lower and upper plates 12 and 14 can be effected.

The elongated cylindrical portion 28 of the housing 16 rotatably receives an elongated shaft 34 which projects therethrough and beyond the opposed ends thereof, appropriate internal bearing means being provided as required so as to insure a free rotation of the shaft 34. One end of the shaft 34 is adapted to mount a vertically orientated grinding stone or wheel 36 for rotation therewith. This mounting of the grinding stone 36 can be effected in any appropriate manner. For example, the corresponding end of the shaft 34 can be threaded and incorporate a clamping collar 38 rigid therewith and against which the stone is clamped by an appropriate nut and washer combination 40. The second end of the shaft 34 is particularly configured for engagement with any appropriate power source which can effect a rotational driving of the shaft 34 and wheel 36. As a preferred power source, it is contemplated that a conventional power hand drill 42 be utilized with the shaft end fixed within the chuck 44 of the drill 42.

In order to effect a vertical adjustment of the grinding wheel 36, an arcuate block 46 is bolted to the central portion 28 of the housing 26. This block mounts the lower end of a vertically elongated threaded inner shaft 48. The shaft 48 is in turn threadedly received within the internally threaded bore of an enlarged outer shaft 50. The outer shaft 50, includes a threaded exterior which is freely received through an enlarged aperture 52 provided in the overlying top plate 14 and is threadedly received through a threaded opening 54 provided in a top block 56 bolted to the top plate 14. The exterior threads on the outer shaft 50 and the block 54 are right hand threads while the interior threads within the bore of the outer shaft 50 and the threads on the inner shaft 48 are left hand threads. Thus, as the outer shaft 50 is rotated in a first direction, both shafts 50 and 48 move downwardly without requiring a rotation of the inner shaft 48 and hence enabling a fixed connection to the housing 26 through the block 46. A reverse rotation of the outer shaft 50 will effect a raising of the housing through an upward movement of both shafts together and relative to each other. As will be readily appreciated from the drawings, manipulation of the outer shaft 50 is effected through an enlarged hand wheel 58 affixed to the upper end thereof.

Attention is directed to FIG. 5 wherein a variation in the height adjusting means has been illustrated. In this form, the handle carrying vertical adjusting shaft 60 is solid and mounts a depending ball 62 on the lower end thereof. The ball 62 is actually secured to the shaft 60 by a vertically projecting pin 64 on the ball which is received within a blind bore 66 in the lower end of the shaft 60 and locked therein by an appropriate laterally directed setscrew 68. The ball 62 is received within a circle socket 70 formed partially in upper and lower plates 72 and 74. The upper plate 72 includes a vertical passage into the bore through which the ball pin 64 freely projects. The lower plate 74 has an areuate or saddle shaped lower face which seats over the cylindrical central portion 28 of the housing 26 with both plates 72 and 74 being clamped to each other about the received ball 62 and to the underlying housing portion 28 by an appropriate U-bolt 76, the bight portion of which underlies the housing portion 28 and the opposed ends of which pass upwardly through the overlying plates 72 and 74 for the reception of clamping nuts 78 thereon.

In adjusting the form of tool illustrated in FIG. 5, it will be appreciated that a vertical movement of the housing 26 is achieved through a rotation of the shaft 60, which, as was the ease with the shaft 50, is threaded through an internally threaded hole within the top block 56. The provision of the ball and socket interconnection between the shaft 60 and the housing mounted plates 72 and 74 accommodates the rotational movement of the shaft 60 and enables a translation of the shaft rotation to a vertical movement of the post mounted housing 26.

In the actual use of the tool 10, the tool is placed on an appropriate jig or guide 80 which overlies the machine mounted blades 82 or blade mounting drum 84. As indicated in FIG. 1, the guide 80 will project laterally beyond the blade mounting machine so as to enable a full sweep of the grinding wheel 36 over the blade 82 being sharpened. An electric drill 42 is chucked to the end of the grinding stone mounting shaft 34 and the drill started to rotatably drive the stone. With the stone being driven, the housing 26 is gradually lowered until the stone touches the blade 82. At this time, the tool is moved slowly back and forth along the length of the blade until the desired degree of sharpness is achieved. If necessary, a further lowering of the stone 36 can be effected. It will be noted that the stone is positioned transversely of the blade 62 and moves longitudinally therealong. In this manner, a highly desirable hollow ground edge is formed. It should also be appreciated that inasmuch as the blade mounting head 84 of the jointer or the like mounts a plurality of blades, each blade 82, as it is being sharpened, is positioned in an appropriate upwardly directed position as suggested in FIG. 3. Upon the completion of the sharpening of one blade, the stone 36 is raised and another blade brought into position, after which the above described steps are repeated.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a unique grinding tool has been defined. The tool, while simple in construction, operation and manner of use, is highly unique and particularly adapted to perform its intended function in a highly efficient manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I. For use in the sharpening ofjointer blades and the like without the removal of the blades from the corresponding machine, a grinding tool, said tool comprising an elongated horizontal drive shaft, said shaft having a first end adapted to mount a grinding wheel, and a second end adapted to be coupled to a source of power for 5 effecting a rotational driving of the shaft and wheel, a horizontal housing rotatably mounting said shaft, the first and second ends of said shaft projecting longitudinally beyond said housing, means mounting said housing for vertical adjustment so as to selectively raise and lower the grinding wheel, and means for vertically adjusting said housing, shaft and wheel, the means mounting said housing for vertical adjustment comprising a plurality of vertically elongated rods, said housing in eluding a plurality of rod receiving passages vertically therethrough, a base plate underlying said housing and receiving and fixing the lower ends of said rods, 21 top plate positioned in spaced relation above said base plate and housing, said top plate fixing the upper ends of said rod, said housing moving vertically between the base plate and top plate.

2. The tool of claim I wherein the means for vertically adjusting said housing, shaft and wheel includes vertically elongated threaded shaft means, internally threaded means associated with said upper plate and threadedly receiving the shaft means for vertical adjustment relative thereto upon rotation of said shaft means, the lower end of said shaft means being fixed to said housing for a vertical adjustment of the housing in conjunction therewith.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said threaded shaft means includes a lower shaft and an upper shaft, said lower shaft being telescopically and threadedly received within the upper shaft for a longitudinal adjustment therebetween, said lower shaft having the lower end thereof fixed to said housing, said upper shaft eonstituting the portion of the shaft means threadedly engaged with the internally threaded means associated with the top plate, the threaded interconnection between the lower shaft and the upper shaft being the reverse of that between the upper shaft and the internally threaded shaft means.

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said housing includes an elongated generally cylindrical central portion and a pair of laterally and oppositely projecting wing portions at each end of the central portion, each of said wing portions having one of said rod receiving passages therethrough.

5. The tool of claim 2 wherein said threaded shaft means is engaged with said housing through a rotation accommodating ball and socket joint.

6. A grinding tool adapted to be positioned on and guided longitudinally along a machine mounted jointer blade or the like, said tool including a flat lower plate and a flat upper plate positioned in vertieallY spaced relation thereabove, vertically elongated rod means interconnecting said plates, an elongated generally horizontal housing positioned between said plates, an elongated drive shaft rotatably mounted within said housing and projecting longitudinally beyond the opposite ends thereof and the opposite ends of said plates, one end of said shaft mounting a vertically orientated grinding wheel, the second end of said drive shaft being adapted to couple to a power unit for a rotational driving thereof, and means for vertically adjusting said housing and grinding wheel between said upper and lower plates, said means for vertically adjusting said housing being affixed centrally to said housing and projecting 3,738,067 6 vertically thereabove through said upper plate, and traction of said means for vertically adjusting said housmeans associated with said upper plate for selectively ing and the housing fixed thereto and a fixing thereof cooperating with said means for vertically adjusting in a vertically adjusted position. said housing in effecting a vertical extension and re- 

1. For use in the sharpening of jointer blades and the like without the removal of the blades from the corresponding machine, a grinding tool, said tool comprising an elongated horizontal drive shaft, said shaft having a first end adapted to mount a grinding wheel, and a second end adapted to be coupled to a source of power for effecting a rotational driving of the shaft and wheel, a horizontal housing rotatably mounting said shaft, the first and second ends of said shaft projecting longitudinally beyond said housing, means mounting said housing for vertical adjustment so as to selectively raise and lower the grinding wheel, and means for vertically adjusting said housing, shaft and wheel, the means mounting sAid housing for vertical adjustment comprising a plurality of vertically elongated rods, said housing including a plurality of rod receiving passages vertically therethrough, a base plate underlying said housing and receiving and fixing the lower ends of said rods, a top plate positioned in spaced relation above said base plate and housing, said top plate fixing the upper ends of said rod, said housing moving vertically between the base plate and top plate.
 2. The tool of claim 1 wherein the means for vertically adjusting said housing, shaft and wheel includes vertically elongated threaded shaft means, internally threaded means associated with said upper plate and threadedly receiving the shaft means for vertical adjustment relative thereto upon rotation of said shaft means, the lower end of said shaft means being fixed to said housing for a vertical adjustment of the housing in conjunction therewith.
 3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said threaded shaft means includes a lower shaft and an upper shaft, said lower shaft being telescopically and threadedly received within the upper shaft for a longitudinal adjustment therebetween, said lower shaft having the lower end thereof fixed to said housing, said upper shaft constituting the portion of the shaft means threadedly engaged with the internally threaded means associated with the top plate, the threaded interconnection between the lower shaft and the upper shaft being the reverse of that between the upper shaft and the internally threaded shaft means.
 4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said housing includes an elongated generally cylindrical central portion and a pair of laterally and oppositely projecting wing portions at each end of the central portion, each of said wing portions having one of said rod receiving passages therethrough.
 5. The tool of claim 2 wherein said threaded shaft means is engaged with said housing through a rotation accommodating ball and socket joint.
 6. A grinding tool adapted to be positioned on and guided longitudinally along a machine mounted jointer blade or the like, said tool including a flat lower plate and a flat upper plate positioned in verticallY spaced relation thereabove, vertically elongated rod means interconnecting said plates, an elongated generally horizontal housing positioned between said plates, an elongated drive shaft rotatably mounted within said housing and projecting longitudinally beyond the opposite ends thereof and the opposite ends of said plates, one end of said shaft mounting a vertically orientated grinding wheel, the second end of said drive shaft being adapted to couple to a power unit for a rotational driving thereof, and means for vertically adjusting said housing and grinding wheel between said upper and lower plates, said means for vertically adjusting said housing being affixed centrally to said housing and projecting vertically thereabove through said upper plate, and means associated with said upper plate for selectively cooperating with said means for vertically adjusting said housing in effecting a vertical extension and retraction of said means for vertically adjusting said housing and the housing fixed thereto and a fixing thereof in a vertically adjusted position. 